Jer Staes

Jan 25, 2026

Private contractors will begin clearing 1,884 miles of residential streets in the city of Detroit at midnight, giving them 24 hours to plow a 16-foot-wide path through each of the city's seven council districts.

City crews are already working 12-hour shifts to salt and plow 673 miles of major roads.

In a release, DPW Director Ron Brundidge is asking residents to move their cars off the streets before midnight to give plows room to work and prevent vehicles from getting blocked in by snow.

Detroit's snow removal policy kicks in automatically when more than six inches of snow falls, triggering the deployment of contractors across all districts.

Seven different companies will handle the residential plowing: Jordan Landscaping covers Districts 1 and 2, Payne Landscaping takes Districts 3 and 4, while Fontenot Services, Gibraltar Construction, and A-Team Snow & Ice Control handle Districts 5, 6, and 7 respectively.

In case you didn't know, the city's snow removal setup is a bit complicated.

DPW handles local streets, but the Wayne County Road Commission maintains the freeways, the state manages major roads like Woodward and Gratiot, and the county takes care of roads like Outer Drive.

Bike lanes on major roads will be cleared after the regular travel lanes, with snow pushed to intersections and hauled away.

Residents can report snow removal problems through the Improve Detroit app or by calling 313-224-0033.